The Vampire Diaries V: Return into Darkness
by Mebrireth
Summary: Old blood has caused a new evil in Fell's Church, and Bonnie summons everybody to reunite. Yet nothing is as it used to be, and the biggest challenge will be keeping the old group together to survive. R&R please!
1. Default Chapter

Author's note and disclaimer: This is a continuation of the Vampire Diaries. I do not own any characters created by L.J Smith, only ones that I thought up all by myself. I hope you enjoy, and please do not hesitate at all to review, as they are much loved!! Heck, you can even flame if you want.  
  
Chapter #1  
  
Bonnie walked silently along the dark streets of Fell's Church. She had been restless, and lately found that only walking could help soothe her. There was so much pent up energy inside of her, truly as if something was waiting to burst. And perhaps something was, it had been a long while since she had tried any magic. It had been a long while since there had been a call for any magic.  
  
Bonnie's thoughts invariably turned to what they always did in the dark, last summer, and her dear friends. It was hard to believe that it had only been a couple of months since then, it seemed like an eternity. They were all gone now. Stefan, Damon, and Elena, all gone back to Italy, where they could start a new life. Meredith was gone as well, she had decided to go to Duke University after all, and be with Alaric. As for Matt, Matt remained in Fell's Church, along with Bonnie. The only two left, the only ones to remember the terror of last year. Nobody else wanted to believe, even Caroline had fallen into denial again, and she had seen more first hand than anybody. As for anybody else who had been a witness, they were dead.  
  
The trees hugged the sidewalks Bonnie strode on. It was almost fall, and a chill was just starting to show in the air. The trees were turning bare, and everything was silent, everything was still. And Bonnie was still unable to turn back home. Nothing seemed amiss, but her intuitions were aroused again, seemingly for the first time since their group had parted, and she was not one to ignore her instincts. Something was wrong.  
  
Or was there really something wrong? Of course, Bonnie could not help but feel uneasy after the kind of year they had had. It seemed as if every unimaginable terror had chosen to target their small town, the holding place of unquiet spirits. First Stefan, though that had not been terrifying, followed by Damon, which had been terrifying at first. Then Katherine had been revealed, followed by an even worse foe, Klaus, who gave one of their own classmates the secret to change into a hideous werewolf. One thing after another, it did not stop.  
  
And through it all had been her dear friend Elena, targeted by the darkness from the beginning by Katherine. Elena had been torn apart by so many conflictions, the least of all a terrible love triangle with Stefan and Damon. Elena had also died. But by some miracle, which Bonnie had a part to play in herself, she had been returned to them. So it would stand to reason that nothing more could possibly happen to Fell's Church, but Bonnie did not think so. Unquiet spirits still reigned, and more blood had been spilled since then. If anything, Bonnie thought morbidly to herself, the stage was now set for something even bigger than what they had seen before.  
  
Bonnie suddenly paused in her walking and stood stock still. She had allowed herself to wander close to the cemetery, a very stupid thing to do, and now she heard something in the undergrowth around it, something big, not just a stray or harmless animal. Bonnie tried frantically to decide whether to run now or stay to fight and find out what it was, but the only result was a lock on all of her muscles. Inwardly, Bonnie cursed at herself. For all of her supposed intuition, she could still forget where she was and where danger would most likely lie. Of all people, she should know to avoid this cursed cemetery at all costs.  
  
Another sound, closer this time, and Bonnie froze even more. There was now not even an option of moving. Her mouth fell open, but no sound came out. Vainly, she wished for her friends, Elena and Meredith. They had always been the ones to know what to do, Bonnie herself had always felt like an accessory. But they were not here, and all Bonnie had to rely upon were her previous thoughts of impending doom.  
  
Just when Bonnie thought she would just pass out from terror of the unknown, a figure stepped in front of her. The person's hair stuck about wildly, and for a terrible instant she thought that Klaus had managed to return.  
  
"Bonnie?" came a voice, "what are you doing here?"  
  
Bonnie's breath exploded from her and she staggered, fearing she would collapse anyway. A strong hand reached out to steady her, and she looked up into blue eyes. Matt, of course.  
  
"Why do you always try to scare me to death by showing up in unexpected places?" Bonnie demanded.  
  
Matt's hand withdrew but he stepped closer. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you would be wandering around by yourself in the middle of the night. Now I will ask again, what are you doing here?"  
  
Bonnie shrugged, "I don't know myself. All I know is that I have not been able to sleep right this past month, and walking is the only thing that eases my mind."  
  
Matt looked concerned, "What is troubling you? Surely you don't think something else has come?" His voice trailed off and his expression was pleading, begging Bonnie to reassure him that nothing was wrong.  
  
Bonnie only closed her eyes and sighed, "I don't know what to think. I have been reluctant to do anything with magic, so I have not bothered to analyze it or find any more out. I don't want to know. But now it's getting too strong to ignore, I can't sleep, I can barely eat, I don't even know what I'm doing these days."  
  
Matt looked at her steadily, accepting what she was saying grimly. Finally, he spoke up, "Why didn't we leave like the others? Obviously Fell's Church is some kind of Hell-hole that attracts everything, so you would think we'd be smart enough to get out of here."  
  
"Leaving something does not make it go away," Bonnie replied, "and we can't just leave the town wide open."  
  
"Why not?" Matt's voice suddenly rose, "Why should we bother to care about this town anymore, along with it's wretched inhabitants? They have never done anything for us, besides deny everything, even the deaths of their own. Especially Elena," Matt had to take a breath and calm himself. The thought of Elena still had the power to upset him, Bonnie saw. "And the way they treated Stefan, when he risked everything to save them. I say we just leave and let them all fend for themselves."  
  
Bonnie stepped closer and reached a hand out to brush strands of hair off of his forehead. "You know as well as I do that we can't just leave. There was a reason that Elena, Stefan, and even us risked so much. The reason may never be clear, but we just can't abandon this town. Not after all we have been through."  
  
Matt sighed, his head down. When he looked back up his eyes were still grim, but resolute. "So what is the new evil that we will have to risk life and limb to battle?"  
  
"Let's find out. We need a candle," was all Bonnie said.  
  
The match rasped to life and threw flames across Bonnie's pale face, making her red curls flame. Matt sat across from her, his steady blue eyes watching carefully as Bonnie touched the flame to the white candle. They were in Bonnie's room, where they had gone to perform the ritual in peace and without conflicting influences. Bonnie's parents were gone, they were alone in the house.  
  
"I still don't understand," Matt said for perhaps the tenth time since Bonnie had suggested using the candle, "the only time you used a candle before was to channel Honoria. And she is gone, she even said she will be of no more help."  
  
"I know that," Bonnie snapped, growing slightly annoyed. Nobody ever expected her to know exactly what she was doing. "I'm going to leave myself open to anything out there, anything that wants to communicate and let us know if anything else has come here."  
  
"Isn't that dangerous?" Matt asked quietly.  
  
Bonnie glared up at him, "No more dangerous than battling crazy vampires and getting involved with two others. No more dangerous with associating with vampires at all, even Elena. Though," Bonnie added as an afterthought, "Elena is not a vampire anymore."  
  
Matt was not impressed with her outburst and only said calmly, "I don't think anybody knows what Elena is anymore."  
  
Bonnie ignored the statement and placed the candle in front of her. "Don't talk to me now," she told Matt, "only think of drawing in whatever might be out there, and something that would be helpful. We don't need a regular spirit who won't tell us anything."  
  
The pair fell silent, Bonnie staring intensely into the candle. Matt stared at the candle, but his glance would often flicker towards Bonnie's intense, small face. She had changed a lot in the last year. She used to be not capable of harming a fly, now she had a power none of them had, and though still reluctant to use it, it could prove to be quite intense. She had also lost a lot of innocence that had once been part of her character, and had become hard. But was that really so surprising? After the kind of year they had, he doubted any were the same, or could ever hope to be.  
  
Matt was startled out of his thoughts when he heard a low moan come from Bonnie. He stared at her face, drained of color, with unseeing eyes. It was a face he knew only too well. She started to speak, but it was not her voice, nor that of Honoria's. It was a gruff voice, deep and urgent.  
  
"Spirits themselves will never die, not when their blood still lives. Danger, once thought to be removed, has a way of coming back. The danger always lies," suddenly Bonnie looked straight at Matt, but he could swear that something else was seeing him, a weird light shone in them, "Blood that has no where to go will always return to where it knows. Your only hope…" The words cut off and Bonnie shuddered. Matt reached out and grabbed her before she slumped facedown onto the floor.  
  
"Bonnie?" Matt called her name as he shook her gently. Slowly, her eyes opened, and they were her eyes, without any weird reflections.  
  
"Matt? What happened, what did I say?" Bonnie demanded.  
  
Matt shook his head, "I'm not sure what you said. It was kind of like riddles, talking of blood that stays behind after the danger is gone, or something. That does not necessarily mean something has come. It could have been some spirit just messing with us."  
  
Bonnie shook her head, "I don't think he would just mess with us. I could feel him, he was quite powerful. Those kinds of spirits don't waste their time playing pranks. I think we're going to need help."  
  
Bonnie and Matt stared at each other. They said no more, but each knew exactly what Fell's Church would need if something new had indeed come. "I'll get the hair and blood," was all Matt said before getting up and leaving Bonnie in the room to set up the rest. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own none of L.J.Smith's characters or places. I am sure we all know who is who. Please review, as I love them and it will make me write faster!  
  
  
  
Stefan sat at a large mahogany desk, staring at papers set before him. They contained his financial status and outlined all of his assets, they were very vast. He would not have to worry about money at all, which was a good thing, since he was now responsible for more than one person.  
  
Soft white hands suddenly slid down his neck and over his chest. Stefan grinned and turned in his chair. Elena stood behind him. Stefan's breath caught, as it always did when he saw her. After all they had been through, he still found it hard to believe she was actually here, alive, with him. And she was no longer a vampire, which gave him mixed feelings. He would not have to worry about her dying again so soon if she had the powers of a vampire once again. But he knew she had not liked being one, so he did not say anything about it.  
  
But there was something different about her. She was not a vampire, but she did not seem quite human either. Little hints told him this, such as when she had crept up on him right now. He had not heard her do it. Normally, he could hear a human from a mile away, or at least sense their presence. She remained shrouded, and this frightened him, but again, he kept it to himself. There was no reason to frighten Elena over it.  
  
"How are you, my love?" Elena asked Stefan, snapping him out of his disturbing thoughts.  
  
"Good, now that you are here." He pulled her towards him and kissed her.  
  
"And is anybody concerned at all how I feel?" asked a sardonic voice from the doorway. Stefan released Elena and glowered over her shoulder. Damon stood in the doorway, a small grin on his dark face, "Or should I know well enough by now then to ask such a question."  
  
Stefan had to swallow a tort remark. Damon was still the same. He had thought he would change, especially after the battle with Klaus, but he had been mistaken. Elena, however, thought that he had changed and insisted they all stayed together. And what Elena wanted, Elena got. So they were all forced to live together. And Stefan and Elena barely had a moment's chance to be alone, as Damon always seemed to interrupt whenever they were, as he had just done.  
  
"I just came by, dear brother, to see if you wanted to go hunting with me tonight. If I recall correctly, you have not eaten in three days. That makes for sad conditions." Damon's voice was full of brotherly concern, but Stefan knew better. Elena did not want Stefan to forego feeding and become weak, and she got mad when she found out he was not eating.  
  
"I will hunt on my own time, and under my own terms," Stefan replied. He knew Damon often hunted young women, and Stefan would not allow himself to feed off of people. He much preferred to go into the woods and find some small creature.  
  
Elena looked at Stefan, concern in her blue eyes, "Stefan, why have you not eaten for three days? Do you want to kill yourself?"  
  
"I have not been hungry," Stefan replied evasively.  
  
"That's I lie and we all know it," Elena continued unphased. "Do you think I don't remember what the thirst was like? Go hunting now, you don't have to go with Damon, but I want you to eat something."  
  
"But what about you? I do not want to leave you alone," Stefan persisted.  
  
"What about me? I'll be fine. I am not going anywhere, nothing can happen to me. Don't worry so much. I can still handle myself, even without super powers." Elena was not going to let him get out of hunting.  
  
Stefan sighed, defeated, and pushed away from the desk. He stood up, and as Damon continued to watch bemusedly, gave Elena a kiss on the cheek and a strong hug. "I will be right back," he promised her.  
  
"I know," was all she said and then shoved him away, "now get going."  
  
Damon turned and exited the doorway, and Stefan followed him outside. But once they reached the dark streets of Florence, they parted ways. "I still don't understand you, brother," Damon's voice called to his back, "after all you have been through, I would think you deserve a little fun, and real food." Stefan did not bother to answer and only continued on his solitary way.  
  
Stefan's hunt was brief before he found a white rabbit before him. He was just about to reach out and grab it when a soundless shock shook his whole body and he collapsed to the ground reeling from the power. There was a tunnel opening before him, and he recognized it vaguely. Bonnie? he thought weakly, knowing it had to be her. She was the only one who knew this kind of contact.  
  
Stefan! We need help, something else has come. We will need all the help we can… the tunnel collapsed on itself.  
  
Stefan lay still, letting the last remnants of power work itself out. He sat up groggily when it was all gone and rubbed his neck. Why did Bonnie always insist on communicating like that? The summoning spell she used was very powerful and always left him disoriented from it. Hadn't she heard of phones or e-mail or anything? Of course, a small portion of his mind reminded himself, they had left no such numbers or ways of contact. Stefan had left Fell's Church with Elena immediately, wanting to get her away from that forsaken place. There had been no time to give out contact information. He had thought that the rest of their small group had left Fell's Church as well. Apparently, Bonnie was the only one who had stayed.  
  
Stefan thought of her brief message. Something else had come? Stefan could not imagine what, nor did he want to. The last thing he wanted to do was go back to the place that had held such grievances for him. And he especially did not want to bring Elena back there. And he knew that Elena would insist on going back with him if Stefan decided to go. So there was only one option left, tell Elena of it and go, or forget about it and abandon Fell's Church.  
  
For his own part, Stefan did not give a damn about that awful town and its people. Fell's Church would rather see him dead than receive his help. The only reason he had gone back the last time was for Elena. But Elena was with him now, he had no other reason to go back. Except for Bonnie. Elena's dear friend, and one of his own, he admitted to himself. He could not leave Bonnie alone in that town to face a new evil. So there was yet another option, get Bonnie out of there. Then they would all be safe, and the rest of the town could go to Hell, as it most likely could, considering the recent happenings there.  
  
Stefan got up from the ground and started back home. He would have to tell Elena, he could not keep things from her. Trust was very strong in their relationship. Stefan vaguely realized that he had never gotten a chance to eat, as the rabbit had bolted when he had sprawled. But that did not matter right now. He would ignore the dull throbs in his veins just like all the other times he had ignored them. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: None of L.J. Smith's characters are mine, or her places. I just make up what they do in this story. Did I mention I really like reviews? It's true!  
  
  
  
Elena looked up from her place laid out on the couch when Stefan returned. "Back so soon?" she questioned him, sitting up and turning off the television with the remote control.  
  
"Yeah," he lowered his green eyes, avoiding the true meaning behind her question. Elena frowned, but before she asked him if he had eaten, he spoke up. "I just got a little call from Bonnie."  
  
"What?" Elena looked confused, "How could you get a call from Bonnie? You have no cell phone."  
  
"Not that kind of call," Stefan informed her.  
  
"Oh," realization sunk in. "Then that must mean,"  
  
"Yep, there is another apocalypse to stop in Fell's Church," Stefan spoke grimly.  
  
"I'm sure it can't be as serious as all that," Elena tried to placate him, "What was her message exactly?"  
  
"I only got about half of it before the connection was lost. She said something else had come and they need all the help they could get."  
  
"They?" Elena questioned, "Then that must mean someone else is with her. Why didn't they just get out of Fell's Church? I thought for sure they would after we left."  
  
"Same thoughts as my own," Stefan replied, "but obviously not. Now we have to decide, are we going back or not?"  
  
Elena did not hesitate at all, "Of course we are. I can't abandon Bonnie just like that. I can't abandon my home town either. No matter what has happened, it's still my home."  
  
Stefan's face fell and he was about to speak up when he was interrupted by a voice, this time from the hallway, "There is no way you are going back there."  
  
Stefan turned to see Damon. He hated how he was always sneaking about. "I thought you were out hunting," Stefan demanded.  
  
"I changed my mind," was all Damon said. He did not even look at Stefan as he spoke, but straight at Elena as he stepped into the living room. "I cannot allow you to go back there."  
  
Stefan's pride flared. Elena was his to protect, not Damon's. Before he could say anything, Elena spoke up, "I am touched by your concern, but it does not matter. My friends are in trouble and I am going. Either you two come with, since you seem so eager to protect me, or I go alone. It is that simple." Elena stood and tossed her blonde hair back, defiant.  
  
Stefan's gaze met Damon's. They were both unfathomable, but they both knew what the other was thinking. "Alright," Stefan finally said, "we will all go back to Hell on Earth."  
  
"Did you reach him?" Matt asked Bonnie when the trance was over.  
  
Bonnie nodded, slightly dazed from the experience, "Yeah, I got to him. I just hope he comes, he seemed really reluctant."  
  
"But do you think he will tell Elena?" Matt questioned eagerly.  
  
"Of course, I don't think Stefan would be able to keep anything back from Elena," Bonnie was almost positive. Unless Stefan was really against it, she thought to herself.  
  
"Then they will come," Matt seemed enthused now, more than he had been in the last couple of months, "If he tells Elena, they will come."  
  
"Should we call Meredith now?" Bonnie questioned out loud.  
  
"We don't have any of her blood or hair," Matt said distractedly.  
  
Bonnie could not help the small smile tugging at her lips, "I meant with a phone. Not everybody we summon has to be a ritual. I have her cell phone number, and her dorm number. I am positive Meredith will come, she would never desert us."  
  
Matt looked up, a new light in his eyes, "Yes, call her right away. Then the whole gang will be back together, and this new thing, whatever it is, will have serious stuff to contend with."  
  
Bonnie nodded and reached for her phone and phone book. Even though the situation was supposed to be grim, she could not help feeling excited at the thought of them all back together. Matt was right, they had proved more than once that they were unstoppable. But a small corner in Bonnie's mind tried to present itself, it reminded her that there had always been grave consequences before, somebody always died, and not everybody was as lucky as Elena. Bonnie shoved the thought back into its little corner and tried to pay it no heed. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I claim nothing that is not mine, and we all know which is which. By the way, I love reviews!!!!  
  
  
  
One week later; Bonnie, Matt, and newly arrived Meredith and Alaric stood in an airport terminal. They were all waiting anxiously for the arrival of Elena, Stefan, and possibly Damon. They had received a call from Elena that they would come, but she had not mentioned anything about Damon, so they were not sure. Bonnie hoped he would come, and she wondered vaguely if it was because of the fact that he was so gorgeous. But that was ridiculous, she scolded herself, Damon was very dangerous. Then again, it had turned out that he was not such a bad guy, most of the stuff he had been accused of had been done by Katherine, and he had risked his life for Stefan's. Misunderstood, Bonnie found herself thinking, and mysterious, dark, Stop it! Bonnie refocused her thoughts, he needed to come because they needed all the help they could get, that was what the spirit had revealed.  
  
Matt nudged Bonnie with an elbow and she snapped her head up. The plane had landed. Bonnie felt excitement course through her, she had missed Elena dearly. And it would not be bad at all to see Stefan again. The four friends stared at the doorway leading from the plane intently, anticipation felt by all. Of course they were all delighted to be reunited, but it was a reunion with a grim purpose.  
  
People started to filter out of the doorway. Bonnie's breath caught, and she found that she was clutching Meredith's hand, who was clutching back with earnest. They looked at each other and smiled, then turned back to the door. They saw a blonde head emerge, and they all broke into wide grins at Elena, who put down her baggage and ran to meet them, arms wide open.  
  
The three girls embraced enthusiastically, all chatting at once, trying to express how pleased they all were to be back together. They heard Matt clear his throat, and they broke apart. Elena looked at Matt, and her eyes misted over with tears. She went to him and hugged him in turn. When they parted, Elena turned to look at them all, including Alaric, and stated "You have no idea how happy I am to see you all."  
  
This set them all off again, everyone insisting that they were as equally glad. Bonnie suddenly looked past Elena's shoulder and her eyes went wide. Elena turned with a smile, knowing Stefan was behind her. She reached out a hand and he put down his luggage, Elena's included since he had grabbed hers when she abandoned it, and took it.  
  
Bonnie forced herself to swallow, he was still as gorgeous as ever. She did not think she would ever get over the shock of seeing him. Matt glanced at Bonnie and saw her trying to restrain from gaping, and he had to chuckle. Bonnie had grown different, but she still had her same quirks. Matt moved forward to shake Stefan's hand, and then Bonnie and Meredith hugged him in turn. Stefan shook Alaric's hand awkwardly afterwards. They exchanged smiles and acted polite, but Stefan found he would never be able to truly trust this man.  
  
Bonnie turned to Stefan when he was done shaking hands to ask if Damon had come when she saw a dark head emerge from the door. Everybody fell silent as they watched Damon stride casually up to them. Stefan frowned slightly, as if he had not wanted him to come. Were they still fighting? Bonnie wondered. Damon had changed so much, or maybe he hadn't. Oh well, Bonnie supposed she would know soon enough how he had turned out.  
  
There was an awkward moment when Damon reached them. Nobody was sure if they should greet him like they had with Stefan, with handshakes and hugs. Bonnie did not think so. Damon looked at them all, his eyes half- lidded, the same smoldering glance he always held. He nonchalantly lifted two fingers, "Hello," was all he said.  
  
That was that then. Everybody helped pick up luggage and went to go claim the rest of it on the carousel. Elena walked between Meredith and Bonnie, all three chatting, while Matt and Stefan followed close behind the girls and Damon and Alaric trailed along behind them all.  
  
It was not until everybody was safely stowed in Alaric's rental van did they broach the subject as to why they had really gathered. "So Bonnie," Stefan started, turning to speak to her in the backseat as he and Elena were in the middle one, "what exactly are we up against here?"  
  
Bonnie shrugged, "I really have no idea. When Matt and I summoned a spirit to get information, we got a lot of sayings about blood."  
  
Matt nodded, "Something about old blood that had nowhere to go will always return. Whatever that means. Maybe you have some kind of an idea?"  
  
"Sounds like revenge if you want my opinion," Damon suddenly spoke up, "somebody who has some unfinished business with the town, or maybe us, since we seemed to be involved with everything evil in the town." Damon spoke casually as he always did, but his words brought a chill to those in the car.  
  
"There's something else," Meredith spoke up from the front passenger seat, "I did not want to say anything until we were sure, but there was a murder in the paper this morning."  
  
"What?" Bonnie exploded, "What kind of murder, and how come you didn't tell us?" Bonnie recalled that she had watched the dark-haired girl read the newspaper so complacently across from her at the breakfast table this morning, and she had not let out a peep. Bonnie herself had not thought to read it as she hardly ever read the newspaper.  
  
"Because of your reaction just now. Like I said, we can't be sure, but the murder sounded vampiric."  
  
"Great," Matt muttered, "more vampire madness as soon as Stefan and Elena arrive. Everybody in town is going to be hunting them again, they won't be safe."  
  
"Don't worry about us," Stefan calmed Matt, "we are going to stay in a hotel in the next town. We will avoid being seen at all costs. I don't want to risk anything more than absolutely necessary."  
  
"How did it sound vampiric?" Elena questioned, speaking for the first time since they had gotten inside the van.  
  
"The neck was mutilated and the blood drained," Meredith answered calmly. "The newspaper did not draw any links to vampirism, but this is not the first time this town has seen this. It is what they will think."  
  
"Not necessarily," Alaric spoke up, his tone taking on that of a lecturers, "people like to forget something traumatic that has happened to them. It will remind them of previous events of course, but they will be desperate for a more rational explanation. They don't want to be reminded of vampires, or anything supernatural. They will probably blame dogs again, saying it is another cause of the rabies strain. My guess is that they will say that before they say vampire." Alaric seemed pleased with his explanation, but Stefan was not. Alaric's advice was not based on experience. Stefan, on the other hand, had lived in superstitious times, and people were not that inclined to simply forget things. He would not allow Elena to be seen in the town that still believed her to be dead. He would avoid being seen as well, but he had to wonder at Damon. Damon often enjoyed causing trouble whenever he could, and this would be too easy for him. Stefan hoped he would not betray Elena. Stefan put his arm around Elena's shoulders and pulled her closer. She snuggled into his chest and stayed close, but Stefan could not help recognizing how cold she was, not warm like a human should be. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Again with the non-claiming of stuff I did not make up. We all know what is what. Did I ever mention I like reviews? I do, honestly.  
  
Damon prowled silently along the dark streets of Fell's Church. They had all arrived at the small hotel in the town next to Fell's Church, and the others had gone straight to bed, as it was late. Even Stefan had gone to bed, though Damon knew perfectly well he did not need the rest. He simply did not want to leave his precious Elena alone for even one second, not even to feed himself. Stefan would rather waste away.  
  
Not Damon, though. He looked out for himself first, and he was hungry. The others had tried to keep him from going outside, knowing he wanted to hunt. They were afraid. Of him, yes, of what he could do, definitely. But it was not his actions they were afraid of, like they used to be, rather the result of his actions. They were all afraid that he would betray them, that he would give away that they were back in town and Elena was alive. Let them think that way.  
  
Damon walked with his head down, trying to sort out his thoughts. He knew that he would never endanger Elena and give her away. He had been against coming back to this cursed town. If anything, he should be the least of their worries, but he was near the top. And he let them think what they wanted, it was easier than trying to explain himself. He never had explained himself, and he never would. They could figure it out for themselves. In the meantime, he did not have to act like them, be like Stefan and try to pretend he was still human. Though he would protect them, he would not be tamed and pacified.  
  
Damon continued to walk, melting with the shadows, knowing he would not be seen unless he wanted to be seen. He came to a line of trees, and realized that they were familiar to him. These were the trees that lined the cemetery. A place that had held pain and fear for them all. Damon turned away, wishing to avoid that place. Heartless as he may seem on the outside, he still knew pain and suffering. But the worst pain there had not been his own, but that of Elena's and Stefan's. He had watched Stefan hold Elena as she died, and he had hurt for them. Also for himself, and the fact that he had nobody like they had each other. Even death had been unable to keep them apart.  
  
Screams tore Damon out of his thoughts, and he turned back towards the cemetery. The screams were very faint, and were growing weaker. He knew that nobody else would be able to hear them, nobody else around to help. Damon started towards them, more out of curiosity than a deep desire to help.  
  
In a matter of moments, Damon had come to a clearing illuminated by the moonlight. Two girls were in it, one of them screaming, though the screams had dwindled to short gasping sounds. The other girl made no sound, and she was fixated on the girl's neck.  
  
Damon rushed in with the intent of separating them when the girl who was on the other one lifted her head. Damon stopped in surprise, his rush had been silent. Golden eyes stared at him and the girl smiled; her lips, teeth, and chin stained with the other girl's blood. She let the other girl drop on the ground and spoke to Damon, "There's some for you if you want," she said casually.  
  
Damon looked at the girl on the ground, her neck mutilated and her eyes glazed over. She was near death, but could be helped if she was taken to a hospital immediately. She had blonde hair, and for a moment Damon was reminded of Elena. Damon looked up and only shook his head, not trusting speech.  
  
The girl shrugged, "All the more for me," and picked the other girl up with lightning speed.  
  
"Don't," Damon said, taking a step forward before fully aware of what he was doing.  
  
The girl paused, the other girl's neck inches from her teeth, "Why?"  
  
"You have taken enough, you don't have to kill." An annoying voice in Damon's head told him that he sounded like Stefan. Damon ignored it.  
  
"You have killed before, you cannot tell me that you have not," the girl replied, her golden eyes boring into Damon's dark ones.  
  
Damon nodded shortly, "Yes, but usually not without reason."  
  
"I have plenty of reason. Besides, does it not excite you? You know what I mean, the thrill of it all, the desire, I see it in your face even now." As she spoke, she traced the girl's wound with a finger, drawing out more blood and spreading it about. Damon's lips twitched slightly, but he struggled to keep a cool composition. His eyes were fixed on the passage of the reddened finger. When he momentarily raised his eyes, he saw the girl's golden gaze fixed on him, a small smile on her lips. She looked as though she were peering into Damon's very soul and tempting him with his deepest desire. Suddenly, her hands twisted and she snapped the girl's neck. She let her drop again, this time assuredly dead.  
  
Damon gasped slightly, but quickly marred his features. He would not let this vampire, obviously she was one, see that she had surprised him. He looked up carefully at the girl, and she was still watching him intently. What she said next did surprise him, "You were one of them. Pity that," and then she vanished. Damon started. She was totally gone, and had left no trail. How could she have done that? A vampire could not simply vanish. They could move extraordinarily fast, so that it would seem like they could vanish to mortals, but his eyes were faster. Unless, a small thought entered his head, she was so fast that she could defeat even his sight.  
  
Damon turned slowly away, shaking his head. His glance fell on the dead girl as he turned, and again he had the weird feeling that she was Elena. But he pushed it away and merely started to walk back to the hotel. His thoughts were now full of the new vampire. He saw her again in his mind's eye, very bright and intense golden eyes, pitch-black hair, much like his own, and very pale skin. No doubt she had been the culprit behind the murder Meredith had spoke of, but was this the reason they had all been called back here? Was she the new evil from old blood that they would all have to band together to defeat? She had not seemed that dangerous. Sure, she had killed a mortal, but she had not so much as even tried to scratch Damon. Obviously she had recognized him right away for what he was, but had showed no surprise at his presence. In fact, it had almost been like she was expecting him. And her parting words had definitely been a shock to him.  
  
Damon wondered if he should tell the others about her, but decided against it. If she in fact did turn out to be what they had been called here for, he would know in due time. But until then, the others did not have to know. Damon realized he had almost reached the hotel, and simultaneously realized that he had not eaten anything. His little encounter with the strange vampire had unnerved him. Damon stopped and pondered over whether he should go back to finish his hunting, but decided against it. For the first time, he would be like Stefan and deny the burning in his veins. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Same as before, I own nothing that L.J. Smith thought of. And reviews are much appreciated! Thanks!  
  
Damon returned to the hotel and stepped inside of his room. He turned to close the door and did not bother to flick on the lights. With his back to the room he said quietly, "What are you doing in here, dear brother." Damon turned slowly to regard Stefan in full.  
  
Stefan's green eyes blazed from across the room. "Where did you go?"  
  
A small smile tugged on Damon's lips, "To Fell's Church."  
  
Stefan strode up to Damon until he was in his face, his anger barely held in check. "Why? On the very first night we get back you start to make trouble. Why could you have not found some poor victim in this city? There have already been reports of vampires in Fell's Church, we do not need to add to the hysteria."  
  
"I know about the murder," Damon snapped back vehemently. He stopped himself and cooled off his features, wearing the same implacable expression as always. Stefan had a thought that Damon had been about to say something else, but had cut it off. He waited for Damon to continue. "Do not worry about me, brother," Damon finally continued after a short silence, "Save it for your humans. I can take care of myself, and I am full aware of any dangers there might be. Not to myself, of course."  
  
Stefan stepped back, his anger cooling as he tried to sort through what Damon had just said. It was the closest thing to assurance he had ever gotten from him, and it seemed that Damon understood that the biggest danger lay for Elena and not himself. Then again, Damon was great at twisting words around. Stefan decided not to let off just yet.  
  
Stefan suddenly noticed something on Damon's cheek, and leaned forward to ascertain it. He then leaned back, new anger written on his face. "You could at least take care to wash off the blood. Or do you truly want to get caught?"  
  
Damon wiped at his cheek and looked at his blood-stained hand. He had not even noticed it. Some blood must have splattered on him sometime during his strange confrontation. He locked gazes with Stefan again, refusing to say anything.  
  
"Could you at least try to be careful?" Stefan suddenly broke, his green eyes full of pleading and earnest. "If not for yourself, at least for Elena. I don't want anything else to happen to her, don't you think she has been through so much already? I thought you understood that."  
  
Damon remained silent, his gaze dispassionate. Stefan thought he saw a glimmer of some kind in the depths of Damon's dark gaze, but it was fleeting and gone before anything could be made sure. Stefan sighed and turned, going through the adjoining door he had used to enter the room. Damon watched him the entire way, not moving or speaking.  
  
When the door latched shut, Damon finally breathed and strode over to the window and stared out at a full moon. He gripped the windowsill hard, letting the metal cool his grasp and thoughts. He did not care what Stefan thought, or any of them, but he was tired of forever being written off. He was only there to cause trouble for the rest of them, that's what they thought. Did Stefan not remember that he did not want to come here?  
  
Then why did you come? a small voice questioned him in his head, the same annoying voice that pointed out when he was getting too soft and acting like Stefan. Because of Elena, he answered it tiredly, because I know Stefan won't be able to handle it if anything should happen to her again. And what do you care of Stefan? it persisted. Nothing, Damon returned immediately, knowing it was a lie. He had proven what he thought of him with the fight with Klaus, when Stefan had almost died.  
  
Damon whirled from the window, not wanting to think anymore. Why was he like this, what had happened to him? It used to be so much easier when he truly had not cared about Stefan, when he had wanted to kill him. But of course he knew the answer to that as well, when Stefan had confessed in Katherine's crypt that he had been carrying the guilt of killing Damon ever since it had happened, regardless that it had been Damon to strike first. Damon had been plagued by guilt as well since then. Before, he had been able to cover it with anger, but the anger had been replaced.  
  
But it seemed as though Stefan was intent on reinstalling that anger. Continually thinking Damon was a walking hazard to them. And not even in a dangerous way, but a way that would reveal them all. Honestly, Stefan should know he was smarter than that and above petty games. But no, he did not know, and Damon was not overly eager to have a heart to heart and inform him.  
  
Stefan's continual accusations were starting to wear on Damon. The worst part, it seemed to Damon right now, is that Stefan had chastised him for hunting tonight. Damon had caused harm to no one, he had not even eaten. But if there was blood anywhere, Stefan was eager to lay it on Damon's hands.  
  
Maybe I should give him a cause to worry, Damon thought darkly, gripping the windowsill so hard it started to cut through his flesh. If he's going to do it anyway, I should fulfill his expectations. Yes, the little voice whispered in his head. But Damon turned away from the window, releasing his hands and shaking the blood off. He could not do it, not know when Elena would be at risk. Even he could not risk Elena to spite Stefan.  
  
Damon reached the side of the bed and flung himself on it, closing his eyes tightly. He was through thinking with tonight. All he wanted was to go to sleep and forget everything. He did not even want to be here. An even more rare feeling plagued him, Damon wanted the night to be over. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Same as before, nothing of L.J. Smith's is mine. Reviews and input are desired and appreciated! If you have an idea, don't hesitate to tell me, as I am kind of drawing on a writer's block here. (Results from too many projects at once.)  
  
The next night, Damon once again found himself walking the streets of Fell's Church alone. He had spent the day arguing with Stefan. The morning paper had accounts of the murdered girl and the nature of the murder. When Meredith had read it aloud, Stefan had immediately started to question Damon, in front of everybody. Damon had remained cool and impassive, causing the humans to side with Stefan. Damon did not defend himself, why bother, and the others had joined in the fray.  
  
"It is just too much to expect that you can behave yourself," had been one of Stefan's remarks. Damon's response was his cool silence.  
  
Matt had then put in his own, as he had never trusted Damon, "You could at least keep a low profile for the sake of others." He had meant, of course, Elena. Everybody's concern was for Elena, who had sat on the couch throughout the whole affair, silent and withdrawn. To Damon, she looked extremely pale, and he wondered at whether his brother noticed it or not. It was near impossible to get Elena alone these days, with the ever constant and frantic presence of Stefan, so Damon was never allowed to question her himself. But there were concerns.  
  
Meredith and Alaric had said nothing, and Bonnie looked distressed. Damon wondered if perhaps she thought that he did not do it, for she was supposed to be some kind of psychic. But her troubled gaze told him nothing, and Damon was convinced no one was on his side. Very well then, he would be the outsider again, a position he was very well use to in this group. But being used to something did not mean that he did not tire of it. For once, he almost wished that somebody would choose to back him.  
  
So Damon had left the hotel in the evening, under the hostile glares of Stefan. Damon had glanced at Elena as he left, her eyes were trained on him, but revealed nothing. Damon left, to create more trouble according to Stefan. Now Damon found himself nearing the same spots he had wandered last night. He was hungry, he had not eaten in a few days, and hunting was on his mind, but not for humans. He would never admit this to anybody, but ever since they had gone back to Italy after Elena's miraculous return, Damon had not had a human victim. He hunted animals, just like Stefan. Another sacrifice that nobody knew of and did not care to find out.  
  
Damon suddenly found himself in the clearing where the girl had died. He could not quite remember how he had gotten there. His dark gaze took in the scene, raking over the edges. He sensed something behind him, and turned quickly. The vampire with the golden eyes stood, leaning against a tree.  
  
"Surprised?" she asked.  
  
Damon shook his head no, and realized that it was the truth. That was why he had come back here, to find her again. He had known she would be here. "I was looking for you," Damon told her.  
  
"The truth," she said with a note of approval, and pushed off from the tree and walked towards him, her eyes glowing brighter. She stopped only a few inches from him and cocked her head to one side, "But why? Why would a Salvatore come looking for me?"  
  
"You know me," Damon replied. It was not a question, but a pure statement.  
  
The girl backed slightly, "Of course, Fell's Church had suffered much at the hands of the Salvatore brothers, you are well known."  
  
"I would not say suffered," Damon replied, a small note of darkness in his voice. If anything, they had been the ones to suffer.  
  
"I would," she replied nonchalantly as she started to circle round him, forcing him to turn his head to follow her progress, "And I did. But this is not the brother I came for, this is the other one. This is the one who once knew what it was like, but is now tamed. What a shame. But we can fix things, can't we? And then we could have fun." The girl stopped in front of Damon after coming full-circle and stared into his dark eyes. Her expression suddenly seemed to change, "It's almost sad, you are tamed by a person that really does not exist. She is not what she used to be, either way that she used to be."  
  
"I have no idea what you are talking about," Damon told her in a flat voice, revealing no signs of the inner confusion he had.  
  
The girl suddenly smiled, showing off sharp teeth, "You will. Either way it turns out, you will. Good-bye love, don't think too much about what I said, it will only confuse you."  
  
And then Damon was alone again. Once again, Damon had not seen her move. She was that fast.  
  
"Why do you question him so?" Elena asked Stefan in their hotel room after Damon had gone.  
  
"Because I know he did it. He has not changed at all. We are back less than a day, and he already causes danger for you by killing someone. These people are not stupid, they will think vampire again. And then a search will happen, and they will find us. You are supposed to be dead, do you think they will welcome you back with open arms?" Stefan was livid as he spoke, his green eyes flashing with anger and sorrow.  
  
"Do not worry about me so much," Elena said, sitting up in a sudden movement, "I can take care of myself. And as for Damon having to do it, remember that Meredith read about a murder before we even got here? There is something else here, that is why we were called back."  
  
"But Damon had blood on him last night, after he went out hunting. I can put two and two together." Stefan was not to be swayed in his convinctions.  
  
Elena looked disturbed, "Stefan," she started, her voice barely above a whisper, "Damon did not even eat last night."  
  
"What are you talking about? He had blood on him, and he has never been one to deny himself a meal." Stefan looked at Elena intently as he spoke, trying to understand what she was getting at.  
  
Elena settled back onto the couch with a sigh, "Damon did not eat last night, and he has not eaten many nights. You do not notice it, but I do. He is fighting his old ways, trying to change, and we are not helping him. He can't do it all by himself."  
  
Stefan's anger faded and he looked at Elena, thin and pale on the couch, "How do you know?" he questioned softly.  
  
Elena closed her eyes, "I know," is all she said.  
  
Stefan stood up and strode over to the couch. He knelt down by the side and grabbed one of Elena's hands. She opened her eyes at his touch. "Elena, what is wrong with you? I know there is something wrong, please tell me so I can help."  
  
Elena shook her head, but to no avail. She did not want to cause Stefan to worry even more about her, but there was nothing she could do. He was going to find out sooner or later. Elena sat up and placed her other hand over Stefan's. "I don't know," she started slowly, "I feel…different. There is something wrong, I can't deny that anymore, but I don't know what it is. I don't feel human, yet I don't feel like a vampire either. All I know is that I died, and I came back in a way that nobody else has, it was totally unnatural. Also, I died unnaturally, actually more than once. So I am a special case. But why and how I came back, I have no idea. At times, I get the feeling that it is just temporary, that it's not real at all, but that does not seem right. I just don't know what is going on with me."  
  
Stefan looked down at the union of their hands and then back up, a storm in his green eyes, "You're always so cold," he whispered.  
  
Elena pulled her hands away, and Stefan stood immediately, drawing closer to her on the couch as she tried to back away. "But that does not matter," he said, grabbing a hand again. He sensed her withdrawl and he tried to avert it, "Whatever is wrong, it does not matter. You are here, with me, and I love you, nothing else matters."  
  
Elena looked at Stefan with tears in her eyes, "I know," she said, and welcomed him as Stefan bent down to her. 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: And it stands the same, nothing that belongs to L.J. Smith is mine. I swear! Sorry this took a while to update, I have been tackling too many things at once, but I don't think I will be abandoning this story anytime soon.  
  
Elena awoke in a cold sweat, panting. She glanced beside her, reassuring herself that Stefan was still beside her. He had not left her side since they had retired for the night. Elena lay back down and briefly closed her eyes before opening them again. She did not want to fall back asleep.  
  
She thought about the nightmare she had just had. In truth, she had had it many times before that night. She saw once again the reenactment of Stefan and Damon's horrible fight with Klaus. Even though she had not been there physically, she still had watched, unable to act until Bonnie called her. But in her dream, the fight always ended differently. Bonnie never called for her, and she had died, along with Stefan, Damon, all of them in the clearing. Only after everybody was already dead was she finally cast back down to earth. She cowered, shivering and looking about the clearing at the many bodies of her dearest friends. She crawled over to Stefan, crying openly, reaching him and stroking his beautiful face. And then he came.  
  
Klaus stood over her, and she grabbed Stefan's unresponsive hand. Klaus grinned like the madman he was, and suddenly Katherine was at his side. Then they both laughed, derisively at Elena, and she could do nothing, could not even move. The only movement she could cause was to shake Stefan, to no avail. There was no more life left in his body, and then the worst happened. Stefan started to decay, right before her eyes. She cried out and pressed her hands on top of his form, trying to stop it, trying to prevent the skin from flaking away. But he decayed, at a swift and terrible rate.  
  
"And the body returns to dust," Klaus commented, like he always did, and interrupted himself with a laugh, "some more quickly than others!" Then him and Katherine were both laughing again, and soon Stefan was entirely gone. She then realized that Damon had decayed in the same fashion, and the rest of her friends were being fed upon by large birds of carrion. She was completely alone with the two vampires.  
  
But there was something coming. Klaus and Katherine both stopped laughing, and stepped away from Elena. Elena puzzled over this, but she felt no relief. The thing coming was not coming to help her, and Klaus and Katherine stepped away out of fear. Elena had tried to get up, a vain effort to run, but she was paralyzed. Her terrified eyes saw a flash of black hair, with a small flash of gold. And then she was thrown flat on her back. She blacked out, even in her dream she lost consciousness.  
  
When Elena came too, she was out of the clearing. Katherine and Klaus were gone, along with the bodies of her non-decayed friends. Rather, she was now in a street. And there was somebody in her arms. Elena looked down at the burden she held, only to find a person unknown staring at her with unseeing eyes. In horror, Elena saw the torn neck bright with crimson, and then became aware of the bitter iron taste on her lips. Elena threw the body down and ran, only to hear laughter trailing her every step.  
  
And that was the end. It always ended there. Not a moment ever changed, yet the terror was fresh every time. The abandonment of her friends, the bigger fear, and then herself made back into a vampire, but one that was not able to control herself. Perhaps the biggest fear of the dream was that it felt so real. Even now, Elena could taste the blood on her lips. So much so that she wiped at them with the back of her hand. Nothing was there.  
  
Elena rose again and slid out of bed. She did so without a sound, and Stefan did not stir. The result of her actions caused her to stifle a sob. She should not be able to move without Stefan knowing, but she had been for a while now, and each time she almost prayed he would wake up. But he never did, and this left Elena feeling lost. A human should not be able to get past a vampire. Of course, she had given up the idea that she was still human a while ago.  
  
Elena walked to the adjoining door and opened it. She strode into Damon's room. She had told nobody of her dreams, and they were eating at her. For some reason, she felt that Damon would be the only one who could understand her. Even Bonnie, the great mystic and revealer of dreams, would not be able to help her now. The thought of Bonnie brought a sudden idea to Elena, Bonnie always had psychic dreams that often told her things about Elena even before they happened to Elena. She would have to ask her if she had had any dreams lately, maybe they would reveal what was wrong with Elena.  
  
But that could be done tomorrow. For now, she simply needed to talk. Elena paused when she stepped inside of the room. There was no need to go any further, she could see that Damon was not there. Elena hung her head, disappointed. She started to turn to go back to bed, but fear stopped her. She did not want the dream returning, as it often did when she woke in the middle of the night. Instead, Elena went to the chair beside Damon's bed and sat. She did not bother to turn on any lights, she did not need them. Another non-human revelation.  
  
Half an hour's time went by, and the door was suddenly opened. Elena straightened in her chair, but did not rise from it. She had a sudden thought that she wanted to know if Damon would be able to sense her. Damon entered the room silently and closed the door. He turned and took off his jacket, then immediately ripped off his shirt. He walked over towards the window, it was stuffy in the room, when he stopped.  
  
"Elena? What are you doing here?" he tried to hide his surprise.  
  
Elena was silent a few moments. "Did you sense me?"  
  
"What?" Damon tried to mask confusion.  
  
"When you came in just now, did you know that I was in here?"  
  
Damon looked troubled, but tried to hide it, "I did not see you until I moved towards you."  
  
Elena sighed, "Don't vampires normally sense humans?"  
  
Damon's voice was flat, "Normal humans, yes."  
  
Elena found her eyes brimming with tears, "Then I am not normal."  
  
"No," Damon's answer was abrupt, "you have never been normal."  
  
"But I've always been human," Elena could not keep the tears from spilling.  
  
Damon frowned, a small sign of emotion Elena could see too well. "No you have not. You died a vampire. And once the body has undergone that type of change, it hardly ever turns back to normal."  
  
"But I am not a vampire," Elena told him.  
  
"I know that," Damon answered, his voice deep, "it puzzles me as to what you truly are now. Not a vampire, yet not human. Have you spoken to my brother about this?"  
  
Elena looked up, surprised, "Stefan? He has noticed it, yet I think he is in more denial than I. He just thinks I get a little cold at times."  
  
Damon moved until he stood in front of Elena. He looked down at her, "Tell me everything."  
  
And Elena complied. She told him of the strange happenings, her not quite human senses. And she told him of her dreams, the same dream, over and over. There were other dreams as well, but she did not tell him of these. For these were filled with blood, and her doing things with the blood that even vampires would not do.  
  
Damon listened silently, not interrupting, his expression never changing. When she was finally done speaking, he surprised her again with a question. "Have you told Bonnie of your dreams?"  
  
"No, I am afraid to. But I want to ask her if she has had any dreams, she is the prophetic one, not me."  
  
Damon answered her slowly, "I think that you are more than what you think, now." He paused, then questioned her again, a strange light in his eyes, "This other force you spoke of in your dreams, is it another vampire?"  
  
Elena shook her head, "I don't know, I've never seen it. But I think it is the same thing that laughs when I kill, and it is a woman's laugh. And I think the flashes of black is hair and the gold is eyes. But that is all that I can think of."  
  
Damon fell silent and looked away. Of course he was thinking of the strange vampire, the female with black hair and golden eyes. She had mentioned Fell's Church suffering at the hands of the Salvatore brothers, and her tone had suggested revenge. The old blood perhaps? From Elena's dream, it sounded like she had a connection with Klaus and Katherine, but they were afraid of her. And she did not seem all that threatening to Damon. Then again, it could be nothing, after all, Elena was not Bonnie.  
  
After a few moments, Elena got up and left the room. She turned once before exiting, "Thank you for listening to me Damon. I don't even think Stefan would want to hear this. It would only drive him mad with worry."  
  
Damon nodded, but said nothing, and after a final glance, Elena left the room and the door closed. Damon closed his eyes, they should have stayed in Italy. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Same as before. Yes, I know, my updates have hardly been regular, but I have not given up the story yet! (I really should organize.) Oh well, enjoy the next, long-awaited enstallment and have no scruples over reviewing!  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Another night found Stefan and Elena wandering the dark streets together. The whole group had had another meeting today, with nothing new to speak of. Damon had been there, and had been silent the whole time, merely listening as others pondered the identity of the strange vampire, for the murders told them that there had to be a new vampire roaming the streets.  
  
"Don't forget to eat something," Elena mentioned as they roamed in between the light cast by streetlamps. They were not in Fell's Church, but did not want to take any chances.  
  
Stefan said nothing, keeping his eyes open and his head held high, he did not want to be taken off guard and have somebody see Elena. They would immediately take her for a vampire and she would have no way of defending herself.  
  
"Stefan," Elena chided.  
  
Stefan glanced at her, as if remembering she was there. "Sure," he replied, "you don't have to worry about me."  
  
Elena stopped and grabbed Stefan by the shoulders, turning him so that he could look at her in full. "And you do not have to worry about me," Elena answered, "I was able to manage just fine before I was a vampire."  
  
"That was different," Stefan was adamant, "nobody had reason to fear you, to hate you."  
  
Elena stepped back as if she had been slapped, "Nobody hates me," she whispered.  
  
Stefan sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. He had not meant to hurt her. "No, nobody hates you. They simply hate the unknown, what they are ignorant of. And they don't know us. They can't be like us, and they know we are different, so in turn they hate us. It is bitter truth, but the truth nonetheless."  
  
"The truth normally manages to hurt," Elena commented dryly.  
  
Stefan stepped to her and embraced her, a fierce, protective embrace. He pressed his lips in her hair before telling her, "The truth does not matter. Nobody else matters. You are all that matters to me, and I will kill anybody or anything that wants or tries to hurt you."  
  
Elena wrapped her arms around him, returning the embrace, and for the millionth time, Stefan could not help but feel how cold she was.  
  
Gentle arms slowly pulled Elena away until she was looking at Stefan directly in the face. "Elena," he said quietly, "please tell me what is wrong with you."  
  
Elena avoided his green eyes, "I told you, I do not know."  
  
"Then what did you tell Damon last night?" Stefan could hardly keep the hurt from his voice.  
  
Elena looked up sharply, "Were you spying on me?"  
  
"No," Stefan shook his head, "I missed you when you left the bed. And then I could hear voices in the other room. I did not even have to spy, I can put two and two together."  
  
"After all that has happened," Elena began, "you still cannot bring yourself to trust your brother?"  
  
Stefan turned away. "I try," his voice came out meekly, and Elena was surprised he was speaking at all, she had not expected an answer. "I have tried so hard to trust him, especially after the night with Klaus, when he risked his life for a lost cause." Stefan swung his head back to face Elena, and she could see the inner struggle through his troubled eyes, "But it had been so long. So long that my brother and I have been enemies. I can still remember when he wanted nothing more than for me to be dead, and I felt the same. It will take some time before I can trust him, truthfully because I never have. Even in life, he despised me and deceived me."  
  
Elena stepped close to Stefan, reaching up a white hand to brush the hair away from his eyes, "I know you are trying. But if you cannot trust your brother, at least trust me. I have never nor ever will deceive you, and to hurt you would be to rip out my own heart."  
  
They embraced again, and would have stayed that way for some time had not a sudden voice interrupted them.  
  
"And what do we have here? A dead vampire and a dead vampire back from the dead. How ironic."  
  
Stefan tore himself away from Elena and whirled to meet the voice, simultaneously pushing Elena behind him to protect her. A girl with long black hair and golden eyes stood a little ways down the street, leaning on the edge of a store that opened up into a dark alley. Stefan was confused as he met her steady gaze, "You know who we are," he started, speaking carefully, "but who are you?"  
  
The girl took a few steps forward, still remaining in the shadows, "You know who I am. Maybe not I personally, but you know of my origins. And my within my origins lies the answer to your next burning question."  
  
Stefan was not impressed, "And that question would be?"  
  
"Why am I here, what do I want, who do I work with, and various others along that line." She paused and smiled slightly, "Oh, and if I was the one who committed the murders."  
  
"You did commit the murders," Stefan said dryly.  
  
The girl shrugged her shoulders, "So you get one point. It does not matter, the other questions will evade you until too late, giving me all the advantage in the world. Just know that you are the Salvatore brother I have come for." The girl leaned forward to get a better look at Elena, "And your sweetie will prove to be useful to me as well. She is infamous for her purity, I will see what I can do about that."  
  
Elena spoke for the first time, "You were in my dreams."  
  
The girl looked surprised for the first time, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"My dreams," Elena took a few steps forward, coming out of the Stefan's protective presence, "the ones with Klaus and Katherine. They are afraid of you."  
  
"As they should be," the girl spat out, and then was gone. Moving so quickly and blending with the shadows made her invisible even to Stefan.  
  
Stefan turned to Elena, "What dreams?" 


	10. Chapter 10

AN: So can we hope that ff.net is working again? Maybe. Again, long wait for this chapter, sorry, but it was not wholly my fault. The next will be up much faster, I promise. Review please and I'll love you!  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Damon sat alone in his room. It was pitch-black outside and inside, he did not want lights on, and he was hungry, yet he did not bother to get up to go hunting. He knew that Elena and Stefan had gone outside to hunt, but that was not the reason he hung back. He simply had a feeling that he should wait, that something would come to him. He did not have to wait too long.  
  
An hour after Stefan and Elena had left, there was a soft knocking at his door. Not surprised, Damon automatically stood and crossed over to the door. He opened it and stared impassively at the person on the other side, the girl with the golden eyes. Without a word, she stepped forward and Damon stepped aside.  
  
"I did not invite you in," Damon said dryly, closing the door behind her.  
  
She turned her head to give him a swift glance, "You are not alive, it is only the dwelling of mortal creatures that we have to be invited into. But of course, you already knew that."  
  
"So why bother to knock?" Damon leaned against the door, his arms crossed, his dark eyes following her every move.  
  
The girl turned to regard him in full, "Because that would be rude. And I would never do something so rude."  
  
Damon met her golden gaze evenly, "Some consider murder to be rude." She waved her hand impatiently, "That does not matter. Murder is anything but rude, indeed it is very personal. Those who think like that have no idea what they are doing or where they are going."  
  
Damon was silent for a moment, thinking. "What is your name?" he asked finally.  
  
The girl looked startled, "Why bother to ask?"  
  
"So I can know what to call you."  
  
"You will have no reasons to call me," the girl countered. "And how would you know whether or not I gave you a false name?"  
  
Damon kept his face smooth, his eyes even, "It matters not if it is not your real name, I merely want something to be able to call you, should the opportunity ever arise."  
  
The girl paused to consider a moment. "Athena," she finally said.  
  
"Is it your real name?" Damon questioned.  
  
"You just said it didn't matter," Athena reminded him.  
  
"And it doesn't," Damon straightened, turning to the door and opening it. "Are we done here? I have had nothing to eat tonight."  
  
Athena stepped forward eagerly. "Me neither, I was interrupted by a few individuals who disrupted my mood and appetite."  
  
Damon followed her out the door, "Might I know these individuals?"  
  
"Of course," she quipped, and would say no more.  
  
The two vampires prowled the dark streets silently. Damon was letting Athena guide the way, and he instinctively knew that she was leading him to the cemetery. It was not in sight yet, but that appeared to be her favorite spot. After a few minutes of swift and tireless travel, he saw he was right.  
  
"I don't think a lot of people will be in a cemetery at night," Damon commented.  
  
Athena looked at him askance through thick lashes, "You'd be surprised."  
  
She turned out to be right. In no time, they had come upon a young teenage couple, heedlessly making out against an old tree.  
  
"Young people," Athena explained, "think it is dangerous and exciting to make out in a cemetery. It is our obligation to fulfill their expectations, don't you think?"  
  
Damon said nothing, his eyes fixed on the couple. He had not eaten in a while, and the passion of the couple made their blood that much easier to smell. And it would be so easy.  
  
Athena approached the couple silently. Damon did not move, he did not think he would be able to trust himself so close to them in his famished state. Athena seemed to have no qualms, however, and stalked them silently. They did not even notice her when she stood right next to them. She raised her eyes over their bodies to glance at Damon. She motioned with a hand for him to join her. Damon gave no sign, only remained in his spot.  
  
Not bothering to waste anymore time on him, Athena fixed her attention back on the couple. She placed a delicate hand on a shoulder of each, and then viciously yanked them apart.  
  
Cries of protest came from them, but Athena only smiled at them. The boy struggled to break her grip, but quickly realized he could not. They stood warily, waiting to see what Athena would do.  
  
"Late to be out, aren't you aware that it can be dangerous at times like this?" Athena's smile was anything but comforting and her words held a threat. The couple shifted unsteadily, but surprisingly were not making any noise. Maybe they instinctively knew screams would not help them anyway.  
  
Damon watched Athena talk to them, she was playing with them. The fact that she would kill them was not wasted on Damon. He could suddenly see his brother's disapproving expression in front of him, and Damon frowned. They will only blame it on me in the morning, he thought, and took a small step forward.  
  
Athena was immediately aware of his movement and looked over her shoulder at him. "Want to join in the fun?"  
  
Damon only shrugged, his eyes fathomless, "Why not?"  
  
Athena smiled, "Good boy. I knew you would come around." With that she threw the young girl over to Damon, who caught her easily. The girl was finally scared, and she opened her mouth to scream. Damon clamped his hand over her mouth right before she could make any sound.  
  
"Not a good idea," he told her before lowering his mouth to her neck. Right before he bit, he glanced back at Athena. She was holding her young man immobile, but she was watching Damon, waiting for him to start. Her eyes were huge, her expression seemingly anxious. The smell of the young girl came to Damon, and he closed his eyes, ignoring Athena, ignoring everything else, and bit deep. 


End file.
